A Brother's Gift
by Beyond Kailani
Summary: Post Dressrosa. Sabo gives Luffy a long desired for gift


**Author Note**: I'm going to be completely honest; this ran away from me! I had it all planned out to be light and fun and then the angst seeped in half way through…I shouldn't plan, it clearly doesn't work!

**Warnings**: None

**XXX**

**A Brother's Gift**

**XXX**

Hand resting on his head to hold his beloved straw hat in place, Luffy swung his head rapidly from side to side, trying to take in everything as he past several open doorways running the length on the corridor.

The Liberty, pride and joy of the Revolutionary Army, was a beautiful ship but she had obviously been built by a fan of puzzles judging by the mass of internal mazes. Doors sprung up everywhere; many leading to rooms but others hiding surprise staircases, and in the case of one particular door, the outside of the ship. Only Koala's quick reflexes had saved Usopp from taking a dip in the ocean.

"And if you take a right just here, you'll find the cabins," Koala gestured elegantly with a wave of her hand to yet another corridor.

"This place is huge!" Usopp exclaimed in delight, with a full blown grin. "What do you use all these rooms for?" he asked, taking a quick peek into an open door. Boxes were stacked all the way to the ceiling.

"Most of them are used for storage," a voice said from behind before Koala could answer. Luffy swung around in delight and lunged for the figure.

"Sabo!" he cried as he looped his arms around his brother's neck. "I missed you! You said you were only going to be gone ten minutes!" He pulled back slightly to level his brother with a small, and completely unthreatening, glare.

"Sorry, Luffy. I needed to make a call to headquarters," Sabo explained with a soft grin, patting Luffy's back gently and completely ignoring the pout, before turning back to their two companions.

Koala coughed in order to cover her giggle. "I take it you spoke to Dragon-san?"

Sabo nodded as best he could with Luffy still hanging from his neck. "Yeah. He's fine with a side trip to Zo. He thinks it might have some connection with the production of weapons that were being shipped from Dressrosa." Koala nodded in acknowledgement. The two revolutionaries had been thinking the same thing.

"So you can stay with us when we reach Zo?" Luffy exclaimed in delight. "Yay, you can meet the rest of my nakama when we get there!"

"Okay, okay," Sabo grunted from the force of Luffy's tightening arms. "I won't be able to meet anyone if you don't let me breathe!" Luffy jerked back quickly, offering a sheepish grin. "I also checked in with the medical ward. Robin, Franky and Torao are all going to be okay."

"Isn't his name Trafalgar Law?" Koala asked, slightly bemused as Luffy cheered loudly.

Sabo tutted, waving a hand dismissively. "Probably, but that's far too long to remember."

"Wow!"

The trio turned to see Usopp sticking his head into a yet another doorway.

"There's another floor below this one?" His voice echoed ever so slightly. Koala nodded, approaching the sniper.

"Yes, downstairs is a large training room, which Sabo won't be going anywhere near until he controls his fire better. We don't want him burning down The Liberty, thank you very much," Koala added, sending a scathing look to her blond superior, who shrugged slightly sheepishly. She clearly hadn't yet forgiven him for singeing her beloved memo book a couple of hours ago. She turned back to Usopp. "There's also a workshop and-"

"Workshop? Can I see it?" Usopp pulled his head back and gave her his best puppy dog eyes. Koala laughed.

"I don't see why not." Usopp cheered and proceeded dive towards the stairwell. Koala followed at a more sedate pace, calling over her shoulder, "I guess we'll catch up with you later then!"

Usopp paused before turning to Luffy who still stood beside Sabo. "You guys aren't coming?"

Luffy shook his head. "No, I'm gonna stay with Sabo."

Usopp nodded before proceeding to clasp Koala's arm and drag her out of sight, asking half a dozen questions without pausing to listen for the reply.

Luffy turned eagerly to his brother and bounced lightly on his feet. "Where to next?"

"Actually, I have something for you in my cabin," said Sabo, as he pushed off from where he'd been leaning against the wall. Luffy bounded after him.

"Ooh, is it meat?"

Sabo snorted, sending a fond but exasperated look towards his brother. "No, you'll have to wait until dinner for your meat, I'm afraid. Here we are." Sabo pushed open a door at the end of the corridor and gestured Luffy inwards with a small flourish.

It wasn't an extravagant room considering it was occupied by the Chief of Staff, but then Luffy hadn't expected it to be so. Sabo had always managed with the bare minimum and hated worthless decorative objects. Instead, Sabo had preferred to fill his space with items of significance and it was reassuring for Luffy to see that this was still the case.

The cabin had a relatively large bed to the right at the end of which stood a wardrobe. Directly to the left were a couple of comfy chairs with a small round table, which was presently occupied by several heavy tombs which upon closer inspection were revealed to be history books.

But the center piece of the room was the large ornate wooden desk, located directly underneath the small porthole for the best light. It was covered in log books, papers, ink pots, maps, quills and an assortment of other objects Luffy didn't recognise. Even the surrounding wall space had been pinned with parchments.

Sabo nudged Luffy forwards and shrugged out of his coat and top hat, casting them onto the nearest chair with practiced ease.

"Now, where the hell would Koala put it?" Sabo mumbled half to himself as he moved about the room.

Luffy cocked his head in question as he pushed the cabin door shut behind them. "Why would Koala move your stuff?"

"She cleans when she's nervous." Sabo shot Luffy a grin over his shoulder as he flung the wardrobe doors wide open and reached for a high shelf. "And nothing gets her more wound up than just before we start a new mission. No place is safe from her, unfortunately. But at least she's learnt to leave my desk alone," he added darkly.

Luffy nodded and drifted forwards, leaving his brother to his hunt. He approached the porthole to try and work out which area of the ship they were now in, he really had been turned around in all the corridors, when he caught sight of an image that caused his breathe to catch.

Ace's grinning, freckled face gazed back at him from a wanted poster. But it wasn't just one poster, Luffy noted. No, Sabo had clearly been keeping every one that he had come across as there were numerous images, each one boasting an even greater reward than the last. Luffy reached out with a fond smile to gently touch the frozen image of his brother.

"Do you like my collection?" Luffy started slightly. He turned to see Sabo watching him with a soft smile. Luffy nodded.

"You have them all," Luffy noted, moving around the desk to check out the other side where his own face grinned at him from several directions.

"This is the only way I've been able to see you guys," said Sabo, walking forwards slowly, a small box in hand.

Luffy frowned. "Well, it wasn't very fair of you." Sabo raised an eyebrow in question. "We haven't been able to see you," Luffy explained with a pout. "If you hadn't of said anything, I don't think I would have recognised you," he added, head down.

Sabo reached up and ran an ungloved hand through Luffy's wild, black hair causing the teen to lean into it with a soft, contented hum. "I'm sorry, Luffy, but it wasn't the right time. You and Ace would have been in a heap load of trouble had anyone gotten wind you were in contact with a revolutionary. You'd have had an entire marine base brought down onto your heads, and I don't think Dadan would have appreciated that." Luffy let loose a burst of laughter. Sabo smiled ruefully. "And when it was the right time, it was too late."

Two heads, one black, one golden, turned to stare at their deceased brother's image in unison.

Luffy allowed his body to list sideways ever so slightly until he was resting against his brother's solid form. He closed his eyes as the familiar heat of the Mera Mera no Mi soaked into him. It reminded him that whilst Ace may not be physically with them anymore, his presence certainly wasn't gone.

He allowed himself to become almost boneless as Sabo's strong arm wrapped around his shoulders in a comforting and achingly familiar hug.

"Do you want your present now?" Sabo asked quietly after several long minutes. Luffy blinked rapidly before pulling back and nodding eagerly. He took the presented box and gave it a shake. "Careful," Sabo chastised with a laugh, halting Luffy's gradually increasing motions.

Luffy eagerly bounded over to the comfy chairs and dropped to the floor, depositing his gift into the small space left on the table and yanking at the ribbons holding the lid closed. Luffy thought that Koala may have been responsible for the rather annoying decoration as his fingers quite literally twisted into knots trying to pull them off. "What is it?" he asked as Sabo dropped gracefully into the nearest chair, its frame groaning under his weight.

"Something you moaned about wanting for nearly two days straight," Sabo told him with a small grin. "You drove Ace and I a little crazy in all honesty."

Luffy paused thoughtfully before continuing his ripping. He cheered as the ribbons finally came loose and he lifted the lid, peering inside eagerly. Luffy hesitated for half a second before reaching in and lifting the contents carefully.

Cradled in his hand, shining softly in the dim light of the cabin, was a small but sturdy red and gold brass telescope.

Luffy stared at it for several long moments before gently extending it and running his fingers along the handle, taking in the feel and smell of the new red leather.

"I thought you'd approve of the colour," said Sabo. Luffy glanced over to blond and saw he looked a little nervous.

Luffy smiled. "You know, Ace told me I talked in my sleep about wanting a telescope all the time," he said as he turned the precious gift over in his hands.

"I actually found one in Gray Terminal," Sabo admitted, leaning forwards and propping his chin in his hand thoughtfully. Luffy looked up in surprise. "I never got the chance to give it to you before my father's lackeys smashed it when it fell out of my jacket. I'm sorry it's so late," Sabo added and Luffy had the feeling he wasn't just talking about the telescope.

Luffy nodded slowly. He carefully placed the treasured gift back in its box and shuffled along the floor until he was at his brother's feet. He threw his arms around the blond, nearly jerking him out of the chair with the force. Luffy heard an amused huff from somewhere above his head before a pair of arms wrapped around him in return. Luffy breathed in deeply, savouring the smell of sea breeze and the new underlying scent of ash that screamed 'brothers'.

"Better late than never," Luffy whispered, burying his face in Sabo's shoulder.

**XXX**

I wanted to get my version of this out quick as I wouldn't put it past Oda-sensei to bring the telescope back in somehow! He seems to like those sort of small details.

Please let me know what you guys think, I'm a little nervous about this one!

**Edited 10/12/14**


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